Biotic
by AvengingSorrow
Summary: The world is ending, Shepard is coming to realize that Kaidan has always been there for him. How could a human being need another as much as Shepard needed Kaidan?


"The Alliance could sure use you. I could use you. Fight, Major. That's an order." John turned on his heel and left the hospital room, thinking about meeting up with Liara for a drink after the recent events on Mars. There wasn't really anything anyone could have done to prevent Kaidan getting so badly hurt, but John blamed himself partially. Why had they pursued Dr. Eva?

John walked back onto the Normandy and was greeted by Liara, as if she could read his mind. "Kaidan will be fine, won't he," were her first words to her Commander. Of course he would! He was the best damn marine John knew and he knew that Kaidan would fight.

"Don't worry, Liara. He's fine. Can you meet me in my cabin?" John headed for the elevator, ignoring Traynor all together and her chirping of John having a new private message.

Liara folded her hands together and followed close behind John, wrapping her arms around him gently when they were safely inside of the elevator. "Kaidan is very good at his job, Shepard. What happened today was a mistake and he's lucky to be alive. Is this okay-me hugging you?"

"It's what I need right now. I can't help stop thinking that Kaidan should have gone back to get the Kodiak without us. James would have been strong enough to fight Dr. Eva off." John made the mistake of doubting Kaidan's strength for the first time in his life, shaking his head and hugging Liara back. Her skin was warm, inviting, and she had a motherly way about her. "We need to help the Turians on Palaven right now. I can grieve about Kaidan being laid up in the hospital later."

The elevator doors opened to the 1st Deck, which John stepped off and went into his cabin with Liara. He drug her to bed and laid down, keeping his arms wrapped around her tightly. "I'm sick of this war, Liara. My people are getting hurt-people I love. Everyone is dying and I'm sick of it."

Liara used her feet to kick her boots off and snuggle under the covers, lifting the covers over John and snuggling back into his arms. "Tell me about Kaidan. You know, the way people describe other people tells you a lot about their character. Let me hear it from your perspective, Commander."

John turned onto his side and rested his scruffy chin on top of her head, loving how soft and plump her tentacles were. "Well, Kaidan is smart. He's the smartest man I know, and he's very agile. I love that he smirks all the time when he finds something funny, but won't laugh out loud. He softens up when he's alone with you, and he's got a strong L2 implant. I just miss him and I'm so worried."

Liara nodded slowly and shut her eyes, humming an Asarian tune that her mother used to hum to her, using her biotics to try and help calm the man down. Her body glowed a light blue, her fingertips tracing shapes on John's back. The man needed to sleep, and she needed to sleep too, now that she thought about it. "Rest, Shepard. Kaidan is going to be fine. I know this." She knew Shepard was desperate for comfort when he would have her spend the evening in his cabin, sleeping, cuddling, and holding onto her for dear life. Liara, in a way, was all Shepard had left of the past. And she was okay with that.

The next day, John got up early and gently grabbed Liara's hand, moving it to the empty pillow beside her, and let her sleep. He went and got two cups of coffee and two plates of food, carrying it up on a tray. "Liara? I brought breakfast." John climbed back in bed and handed a cup of coffee to Liara when she sat up, along with one of the plates of food.

"Thank you so much for everything you do for me, even for everyone. I don't let just anyone comfort me, but you know that. You're one of my most dearest friends." John ran his fingertips over Liara's tentacles, smiling gently as he felt them gently pucker at his fingertips. It took a lot of trust for an Asari to let someone touch their head.

Liara smiled as she looked over the edge of her cup and tilted her head lightly. "Love, it's a funny thing. It can mean different things. The love between us is friendship, even best friends. Parental, even. The love between you and Joker is brotherly. And the love between you and Kaidan is romantic, isn't it? You love him. I can feel it."

John rubbed his thumb over the edge of his own mug, sighing as he thought. "Nothing ever passes you, Liara. You're incredibly sensitive."

"I am a biotic. Of course I am." Liara countered, digging into her food.

"Of course you are. I just mean...I never expected it, not even knowing you as long as I have." If anyone didn't know the relationship between John and Liara, they would assume they were lovers. Oh, how they were wrong.

After breakfast, John took a shower and headed to the map to help out the Turians on their largest moon, since the Reapers were attacking their forces. Seeing Garrus again and having him come back onto the Normandy was one of the best days he had had in a long time, mostly because he had missed all of Garrus' wise cracks and endless teachings of callibrating of this or that.

"It's nice to see the girl is still up and running, but I'm sure someone messed something up in here. Got to get her back up into fighting shape." Garrus placed his hand on John's shoulder and smiled, appreciating the fact that John had let him back on board.

John nodded and made his way back to the map to go back to the Citadel, since Kaidan had sent him a message. At least Kaidan was alive and was requesting to see Shepard. John took transportation to Huetra Memorial Hospital and practically sprinted to the room Kaidan was in, smiling upon seeing the man sitting up in bed and looking out of the window.

"Kaidan. You look a lot better." John took a seat beside Kaidan's bed and noted the shaving cream and razor on the table beside the bed. Had a nurse planned to shave Kaidan?

Kaidan sat up a bit more and smiled at John, opening his mouth to speak, only to be cut off by John asking a rather odd question that warmed his heart.

"Mind if I shave you?" John grabbed the shaving cream, pressing the button to put some in his hand and lathered it along Kaidan's jawline and neck. He popped the cap off of the razor and gently began shaving away the 5 o'clock shadow. "The doctor says you're getting out of here really soon."

Kaidan let John shave him, shutting his eyes and putting all of his trust in his Commander not to cut his skin up. The Canadian opened his eyes again when John was done and ran his hand along the smooth skin of his jaw, nodding in approval. "Thanks, Shepard. It's perfect."

"I hope you're joining us back on the Normandy when you get out of here, Kaidan." John stepped over to the sink and washed his hands off.

Kaidan sat up even more, gently, because he was still sore. "Absolutely. If you'll have me, I mean." Not being able to see John's smiling face would surely be the death of him. Who else did he want to face the end of the world with? No one else.


End file.
